Snowballs and Rough Times
by My Vantilene
Summary: Jack Frost has been around for a long, long time. (Collection of stories centered on Jack, the guardians, and a little dash of Pitch.)
1. Chapter 1

Jack actually didn't do much Christmas day.

At ten he gave Jamie's house a nice sheet of fresh alabaster snow, and decorated his mailbox and trees with delicate frost patterns, but he didn't bother actually making his presence known to the ten-year-old.

It was Christmas, and no matter how much Jamie meant to him, he had a family of his own to spend the holiday with. Jack had to respect that.

But he added a rather large snow bunny to the front yard for good measure. When Jamie sees it, he'll know who stopped by.

He doesn't show this favoritism to just Jamie's house, though. He makes a unicorn in Cupcake's yard, double-frosts the twin's house, and generally makes sure that all five of their houses stand out from the rest.

He stands up a bit straighter and dusts his hands off once his work is done for him to admire. He turns the other way, knowing he has to give a white Christmas to at least six more states before he can even be considered done.

But he runs into a familiar Russian instead.

"Jack!" Father Christmas jostles him by the shoulders, "Are you okay?"

"Okay? Why wouldn't I be o—"

"Jack!" Tooth shouts, practically throwing him into the air with a tight, revolving hug.

Sandy floated by, a look of joyful relief on his face.

"Would, uh, would someone like to tell me what's going on?"

Tooth let go slowly, looking at him in confusion.

"We thought something might have happened to you when you didn't show up at the pole."

"What are you talking about?"

"You didn't show up for Christmas party, so we came looking. I suggested the sack, but Tooth and Sandy wouldn't hear of it."

"What about Bunny?"

"He's back at pole, worrying like sick mother."

"Pretty sure that's not how that expression works," he laughs, "But, um, why again? Because I didn't come to your Christmas party? I didn't even know you were having one."

"You — you didn't _know_? Tooth, you told Jack about party, yes?"

"Uh, no. I thought you were taking care of that. It's your party, North."

"But I was busy with toys, and you organize most of parties."

"Hey, um, I don't mean to interrupt a great argument, but Bunny gave me this, I don't know, a month ago?"

He unfolded a light green flier, the details and times written on it in black ink.

"So why weren't you there?" Tooth inquired, tilting her head. North took the paper from his hands, inspecting it curiously.

"Um, because I didn't know? I thought at least that was clear."

"But this paper has everything you needed to know."

"Well, then maybe he should've said something instead of just stuffing it into my face and running off. That guy has no manners."

"You didn't even look at it?"

"Well, uh," he scratched the back of his head, "yeah, I did."

"But, Jack —"

"I can't read his handwriting, okay! It's all scribbly and stuff."

"Bunny takes great pride in penmanship."

"Can we not talk about this here? You may or may not have forgotten, but not all of us are invisible."

The three of them shared looks of confusion and regrettable agreement.

* * *

Once the sleigh was docked and the reindeer had settled down, they made their way to the main gathering room, where chairs and tables full of refreshments waited. Jack, a half smile splayed across his features, decided to hang back a bit, hiding behind a wooden support beam.

"Where's Jack?" Bunnymund asked, jumping out of his chair. North remained silent at the way the pooka's fingers twitched for his boomerang.

"He…"

"Ya came back without him? What kind of guardians — no, friends — are ya? This could be the one time his stupidity gets him into mortal danger, and you decide it's okay to give up when the search gets a little hard? He could be in a bingle for all ya bludgers know! If he carks it, I hope you're able to live with yerselves."

Jack tried to keep a straight face, but his mouth betrayed him as it quirked upwards in a reluctant smile. Little snippets of laughter flew out, unwarranted, and his hands went to his mouth upon reflex. But it was too late, Bunny had heard him and his fingers began to twitch around his boomerang for another extreme.

"You little larrikin, ya were there the whole time and you didn't even —"

"Hey, hey, at least I'm not in," he snickered, "a, a bingle!"

"Ya shut yer trap. For your sake, I hope you were in a bingle because you've got to have to a pretty good reason for not showing up and scaring us all to death."

"All?"

"Mostly Tooth."

"Right."

"So." he folded his arms, "Out with it."

"I…" his eyebrows furrowed as an uncomfortably hot blush crept up his neck, "I didn't know."

"How on earth could you possibly not know?"

"I don't know, maybe you should tell me next time!"

"Tell ya? Mate, I made handwritten invitations, I thought ya got the message."

"Well, if you would've told me it was an invitation, maybe this would've worked out differently!"

"Ya threw it away?"

"…No."

"Then…Frostbite, why didn't you read it?"

"Because." He didn't want to elaborate. Manny, did he not want to elaborate. Bunnymund was not going to let him hear the end of it.

"I. I can't read."

* * *

_Cliffhanger. _


	2. Chapter 2

_A brief little intermission from the illiterate Jack arc. Have a bookworm Jack while you wait._

* * *

Her name was Katie. How could Jack ever forget? She had soft, wispy brown hair with a sheen that looked like dust, and eyes that were a brighter green than his "home" at spring time and she would sleep with this weird stuffed animal that had some mismatched limbs, and she talked in her sleep too. They were just little phrases here and there that didn't mean much, but sometimes Jack would sit up against her bed post, close his eyes real tight, and make believe that she was talking to him. Sometimes, if only through the power of his imagination, she would even reply. It was that little time spent pretending that got him through his life on the road.

She had an ever-growing collection of movie posters adorning her pastel pink walls, and dresser tops full of coke bottles. One chilly January day, Jack was weaving intricate patterns on her window when her step mom, Cecilia, came in and yelled at Katie for making her dad go to her dance recital when they had planned to go on a cruise, just the two of them, and threw the dainty music box that was always on her bedside table to the ground. The fragile wood had splintered into a million pieces, and the inner wiring was stretched out like the spaghetti leftovers she ate every night. After the door had slammed in her face, she rushed down to pick up the remains of the one heirloom she had ever really cared about. She felt the pieces slip through her fingers like sand as the tears rolled down her face.

There was nothing Jack could do to console the girl. Children like her were his pride and joy, the one comfort he ever had, even if they'd never know it. He felt useless, not being able to do anything to return that comfort.

The girl brushed the music box corpse into her hand, making sure not to miss a piece, and placed it in an empty dresser drawer. She stared at herself in the mirror for a long time before, to Jack's horror, reaching into her mouth and yanking out a tooth. He screamed and lunged toward her reflexively. Katie gave a tiny flinch, but otherwise didn't react much to the pain. She took out a piece of paper and a pen and began scribbling down words in navy ink. After placing the tooth under her pillow, she curled onto the bed and turned off the light, tears still in her eyes as she tried to sleep. After a few sniffles, glittering gold sand circled the crown of her head and she fell into a comfortable sleep.

Jack sat by her bedside, hand cupped around hers, but never actually touching. Not that he could, but he just didn't want his hand to go through hers. She shivered in her sleep, so he let go.

He turned on the light and looked at the letter.

_Dear Tooth Fairy,_

_Okay, so I'm twelve years old. That's a little too old to still be believing in you, and I guess after I wake up in the morning, and find my tooth, I won't. But right now I do, because I have to. _

_You have to be real. You have to be real because if you're not then you can't respond to this, and you need to respond to this._

_Or maybe you won't. Right now there's no one left in my life willing to keep up the tooth fairy façade, so just a little quarter has basically my entire future riding on it. That quarter ensures my belief in you. _

_So, my life sucks. I sure hope you take this note, because if you leave it then my step mom will see that I said the word sucks and she'll probably ground me or whip me or whatever they did in her house back in Germany. But it does. I used to be okay with my dad. And I liked my mom, but she didn't like me, obviously, or she would've stuck around. But, yeah, then Cecilia came along, that's my stepmom, by the way, and I guess she just sucked out all the heart he had left in him. He went to my dance recital because my instructor practically threatened to call social services, not because I was more important than Cecilia. _

_Between you and me, I hope she calls them anyway. _

_Okay, now you really have to take this, or I'll be in serious trouble. _

_But I guess why I'm writing this is because… I want to hear about somewhere else. Somewhere magical. You must live in a really nice place, right? I'd like to hear about it. And I've always wondered what you look like. Hopefully you're not really Dwain the Rock Johnson. You probably don't understand what I mean by that, so let's just call it a joke and move on. I'm not asking for a photo here, because I suppose you must come in the night for a reason, but, uh, just a description, I guess? It would be nice. Like, is your castle really made out of teeth? _

_Please write back (or don't, it's your choice),_

_Katie George_

Jack wiped the tears welling in his eyes before they spilled.

First he was sniffling because Katie was such a sweet girl and she didn't deserve such a terrible life, but then because she wrote the wrong legend. She would never see this, her little hummingbird-esque helpers would take the tooth and leave the quarter without giving the confession on her bedside table a second thought.

Jack wanted to help her so badly, but without her belief, there was nothing he could do. He could only watch helplessly as her world crumbled around her.

But maybe he didn't have to. There was still one thing he could do.

* * *

Katie awoke in the morning to find the note on her bedside gone, in its place was a snow-white piece of computer paper with messy handwriting covering it.

_Dear Katie,_

_I am so sorry about everything. If I could, I'd take you far away from this terrible house and we'd just be able to live in my palace together, free of any worries. I could show you around the place and maybe you could even help me collect the teeth! And I'd let you dance to your heart's content, and you'd like my little helpers, they're very nice. _

_Unfortunately, there are things keeping us apart, making this dream impossible. But don't worry! You're a brilliant girl, Katie, I'm sure things will get better. _

_I really wish I could, though. You may not realize it, but you mean a lot to me. You're such a special, wonderful girl and one day someone's going to notice, and hopefully they'll be able to take you away like I never could. You just have to be patient, and wait just a little longer. Can you do that for me?_

_Sorry I couldn't give you the description you wanted. I have so many houses to visit, even this little bit is putting me behind schedule._

_Love,_

_Tooth Fairy_

Jack sat with one leg out her window, watching those tears he always saw pour out with joy instead of sorrow. He smiled at the bittersweet feeling welling in his chest, then flew out the window.

This time winter in India couldn't wait.

* * *

_Why the sudden well-read Jack? _

_Unnecessary bio time._

_When I was younger, this actually happened to me. I was depressed and back then it was just tragedy after tragedy, death after death, and our parents didn't even try to console any of us. I desperately wanted to talk to someone about it, but there was no one so I just buried myself in books and fell in love with fantasy. Because anything was better than there. One night my parents were arguing and, using their voices as a cover, I pulled a tooth out. Don't worry, it was a baby tooth. It wiggled a bit whenever I ate, but it still wasn't quite ready to come out yet. They didn't hear me scream. I just put it under my pillow, and though I didn't quite believe in her, I wrote to the tooth fairy. I just wanted to know what it was like, over there in her tooth palace. A lot of what Katie wrote was taken right out of my note. When I woke up, my tooth and the note were still there. So, I suppose this is a little AU for my own life._

_Sorry for wasting your time.  
_


	3. Chapter 3

_AAAAAAAaaaaaaHHHHHHAAAaaaaaH HHH_

_I wrote half of the illiterate Jack chapter on my mom's laptop, but now she needs it for grading papers so I cranked this one out in the meantime. Please don't hate me. _

* * *

Jack had been spending more and more time at the Tooth Palace.

At first Tooth had suspected it was to spend more time with Baby Tooth. She had been there for him when no one else was able to be, and he did have quite a large soft spot for her. That got her some unwanted attention from the other fairies at times who, to be frank, were obviously jealous, but Jack always settled things when he came over. Which was becoming nearly every day.

She got that three hundred years was a long time to be alone, and that no amount of companionship could really heal a wound so big and so deep, but this was just getting ridiculous. Not only would he come often, but with each passing stay, the visits got longer and longer. He actually slept over one time, a very big deal considering how little sleep immortals need.

One night, when Jack was asleep, curled up in the soft grass with Baby Tooth tucked into his sweatshirt pocket, North sounded the aura borealis alarm.

Toothiana, anticipating this ever since Jack's third visit, knew this was a meeting that the winter spirit shouldn't be bothered with. Glittering sand fastened around the crown of his snowy hair and she got her confirmation. They had commissioned Sandy to knock him out (with the dream sand, he had to be reminded by Bunny) just in case he wasn't already asleep. She sighed, and ordered her fairies to keep an eye on them (she knew they'd be happy to oblige) before flying off to join her fellow guardians.

"Tooth. There is problem with Jack." North informed her, "There has been no sign of him for past week."

"I noticed. It's been quieter." Bunnymund narrowed his eyes, "Too quiet."

"Oh, come off it, Bunny. This is serious matter. There is talk of global warming. The adults are starting to notice."

"Um, Jack's fine," Tooth cut in, "Well, I wouldn't exactly say fine, _fine_, he's been staying at the Tooth Palace for extended periods of time. I think you're right, though; there is a problem with Jack. He's been staying with me for longer than I even thought a seasonal spirit was capable of. And I don't think the wind's too happy about it either. It's getting restless, just waiting for him outside."

"The wind waits on Jack?" Bunny asked, "Ain't that somethin'."

"I'm being serious! It's weird, the air around the palace just doesn't seem to…sit still like it should. There's something that must be really bugging him."

Sandy made a clock above his head.

"Sandy's right, the boy spent three hundred years without being seen by child, or anyone really. Maybe he just needs —"

"I know, I know, but don't you remember what happened, you know, during…"

"Yeah, of course, the little larrikin made sure I'd never forget."

"Do you think it's a cry for help?"

Sandy shrugged.

"Hey, I got an idea. Why don't we just talk to him?"

All three of them stared at him as if he had grown a second head.

"Okay, I know what you're thinking, just, just hear me out, okay? Let's say we pretend we're not dealing with Jack Frost the Irresponsible, and just, picture this, we communicate with him like rational people."

"I think Bunny might be right," Toothiana said after a time, "Let's just try talking to him." She conceded, swallowing a lump in her throat, and along with it the painful memory of Jack's wide eyes darting back and forth and the wild furrow of his brows, the way he looked like a frightened, cornered animal. She didn't want a repeat of last time.

"As long as we take the sleigh."

"Fine." The pooka sighed.

* * *

Jack kept his eyes glued shut as he felt Tooth's eyes bore into his back. They were bound to call a meeting any day now, their stifling overprotective nature when it came to him, on a good day, was mildly irritating, but he found it useful on certain occasions. It would get Tooth out of the palace for long enough. Baby Tooth was asleep, and since she was the only fairy who actually cared if he did anything wrong, he was set. He just… he just… he just needed… Tooth…. to…

No. He couldn't fall asleep. He wasn't even tired a few seconds ago, why —

Sandman. That sneaky… little…

He fell unconscious, cursing the golden man as his eyelids drooped down.

But the sand only worked for so long when it came to immortals. He was back up in a matter of minutes, and despite the delay, he was still sure he could get what he needed before Tooth came back.

* * *

"Jack!"

"Jaaack!"

"Are you sure he was here?"

"Positive. He was sleeping right here with…with Baby Tooth." she nudged the baby fairy into consciousness.

"Did you see where Jack went?"

She scrambled up, back into the air, shifting left and right in search of the winter spirit. She shook her head vigorously.

"Oh, this is bad. Where do you think he went?"

She shrugged at first, but then her entire body went rigid with realization.

She flew off toward the teeth stash.

"Jack!" Tooth nearly screeched, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Um, heh. Hey guys." He smiled innocently, his hands well hidden behind his back.

"Knew he was up to no good."

"Jack," Tooth addressed him as calmly as she could, "Whose teeth do you have behind your back?"

All of their hearts skipped a beat as he stared at her wide, amethyst eyes with the same feral panic as last time.

She did not want a repeat of _last time_.

"They're… They're my sister's."

"Jack…"

"I'm sorry! I should've told you, but I just wanted to know what happened to her, after that night in the pond, I tried to stay away from Burgress for the first couple years… I, I just want to know about her life…"

"You could've just asked…"

"I know, I know, but I…"

She slipped both hands over his shoulders.

"It's okay. Why don't you head inside and open up the memories, and if they're happy then we'll celebrate."

She turned toward the other guardians, giving them the cue to leave.

North almost protested, but the look she gave him shut him up instantly.

She was the guardian of memories, after all.


	4. Chapter 4

_FINALLY._

* * *

"Y…ya can't read?" A snicker parted Bunnymund's lips without his consent, and once that one had gotten out, it was hard to stop the others. Soon he was laughing so hard his sides hurt.

Jack folded his arms over his staff, lowering his head just a bit.

"N…no."

"I…oh my gosh, I'm sorry," he laughed, "B-but seriously?"

"Bunny…" Tooth tried to stop him, but the pooka's laughter didn't let up no matter how many covert shoves she gave him.

North looked at him with something akin to sympathy. He remembered growing up on the streets without the ability to sign his own name, but he had learned how to quickly after the Man in the Moon chose him.

For Jack it had been centuries.

"L-like, you…don't know what…what any of these words mean?" he held out the flier for Jack's inspection.

"N-no." his voice grew indignant, "No, okay? I can't read!"

Bunny just went on snickering, ignoring the dangerous tone in the 317-year-old's voice.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Peter Cottontail." He tried to say with dignity, but he could feel the veneer slipping.

The 1700s hadn't been the best time for education, but in their settlement, boys of middle class families were at least given the chance to learn how to read and write. Jack's parents had been in debtor's prison before the colonies and their children had come along, so he was not a part of those exceptions. The other boys had held it over him longer than someone with "better taste" should have, it took nothing short of his own death to silence them.

It hadn't even been a year since he got his memories back, and after three hundred years of their absence, it would probably take another three hundred just to really absorb them. Surprisingly, his death had been the easiest thing to take in. He was still getting over little things like this. His only comfort was the thought that none of it mattered now to his newfound "family."

All it took was Bunny's voice which, distorted by laughter, was warped into the sounds of his distant memories.

Suddenly, his only comfort wasn't all that comforting anymore.

It was only one laugh, but his ears picked up others as the scene in front of him mashed discordantly with his once-forgotten childhood. He gave a frustrated growl and left the wrapped gifts in his pocket on the refreshment table before taking back to the skies.

* * *

Though the other guardians had volunteered to go with him to find Jack, North felt like the more was not the merrier in this case. He was used to being alone, and a bigger group caused him to clamp up when he was like this.

He found him in one of his usual hiding spots, the valley of one of the Pole's gorges. He could deduce that the place had some strong memories, if the sharp column of glittering ice and darkness was anything to go by. Of course after Pitch's downfall and Jack's "inauguration" of sorts, he relayed all that had happened to his fellow guardians around a fire and a tray full of hot chocolate. So North knew exactly what had gone down near the landmark.

"Jack."

The boy looked up, and as recognition settled over him, so did flightiness over his splayed limbs. He looked just about ready to bolt.

"Jack, please, just sit, it is only me."

His icy eyes never left the jolly man, but he did as he was told.

"Let me tell you story, Jack. …I am very successful, no? I bring Christmas every year, without single delay. I have entire workshop at my control. But… Before I was chosen to be a guardian, I lived on dirty streets. I knew which hand was left and which hand was right, and I knew my own language enough, but other than that… Nothing. I had no education, I didn't even know the name of reigning monarch. Of course, I could not read or write. But Man in Moon did not choose me for the head on my shoulders, he chose me for my eyes, and they do not teach seeing in schools. And do you know what being a guardian so long has taught me?"

Jack's head lifted a bit.

"Is never too late to learn!" he stood up in a flourish of crimson cotton and dark brown wool.

"You're… offering to teach me how to read?"

"If you would accept." He smiled.

"But… Bunny —"

"Oh, tch. Is no big deal. I taught Bunny too."

"You taught Bunny how to read?"

"Yes. He laughs for compensation. Also because he is a man of tough love." Father Christmas gave a hearty ho, ho, ho. "Speaking of tough love, Tooth is probably giving him the fist for that stunt. We better go, I do not want blood on my carpet."

Jack gave a hoot at that, but North stopped him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Jack. I'm giving a warning, because you are still new. No matter what, the fist is always worst. Trust me, when it comes to Tooth... you do not want the fist."

Despite himself, the winter spirit gulped.

* * *

"Where is Bunny?" North inquired nervously, once they had arrived back at Santoff Claussen, "And Sandy?"

"Oh, Sandy took Bunny to the infirmary."

"Ah. I see." North made a see-what-I-mean look at Jack and he stepped in, hoping to undo some of the damage.

"Hey, um, it's really fine. I just... the memories come back sometimes, when I don't want them to. It's not Bunny's fault, really."

"Oh?" she seemed unconvinced.

"I mean, as long as you hit him hard enough, all's forgiven." he leaned in and whispered.

"Jack!" Not only did North have good eyes, he also had perfect hearing.

"Kidding, kidding!"

"So, you're really okay?" Toothiana asked him.

"As okay as I'll ever be."

"Good, because I've been planning this party for months."

* * *

_To be honest, I'm not even sure what this is. Oh well. Requests are next. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Since a lot of people have noticed, yes, this story was once part of 100 but I'm taking it down and putting it back up here, okay? I'm not stealing from myself guys, but I do appreciate the concern!_

* * *

Jack stares down at the carefully painted visage of his sister's face, and her deep, chocolate eyes stare back. He spends a moment studying her hair, and her crème-colored skin, so much darker than his own, her cheeks adorned with a splash of freckles, the great curve to her lips.

He wants to laugh and he wants to cry, and part of him just wants to give the box back to Tooth and never return. He was so eager before, but now…

The danger was gone, the thrill had left the situation, there was only harsh reality in his hands, solid answers, and he didn't have the guts to look.

His stomachs did flips similar to the ones he did through the air. There was hope in heart, but his mind had already prepared him for the worst. He couldn't be surprised by either.

What if she had died soon after? What if the ice had broken and she had fallen in too?

No, the capsule has her complete set of baby teeth. But she still could've died after losing them, or what if his death changed her, what if she grew old bitterly alone? He knew what loneliness felt like, and he wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy.

"It's okay to be scared."

"Huh?" her voice pulls him out of his own thoughts, "I'm not scared."

"Mhmm," she hums disbelievingly, "Then why don't you open it?"

"Maybe I will."

She taps her fingers against his hands.

"Will you?"

He looks back at the case. With a staggering breath, he presses the colored tiles, and they swing like metallic doors into a centuries-old memory.

A war is threatening to break out between the homeland and the new world. Emma knows this, she knows this and yet she still spends her days outside, skipping through the forest, utterly unafraid. She enjoys the beautiful tulips and roses that pop up in spring, she loves how warm the sun feels on her skin during summer, she craves the wind's touch in the fall as it tousles her hair and the leaves as if they were the same. She loved autumn the most, because the wind has always spoken to her, carrying whispers of beautiful dreams, filling her smile with wonder, bringing hope, and creating memories cherished for a lifetime. The wind watches over her stoically, dutifully, as if sworn to do so. It's always with her, but it's stronger in the fall.

She loves Christmas. The pungent scent of pine that lingers in every house, the warm glow of a flickering flame during the candle walks, the magnanimous air to everything; it was one of the greatest holidays ever celebrated in her settlement.

But she hates winter. She hates the snow and the things children do with it, she hates ice and sleet and icicles that hang like stalagmites over porches. She doesn't dare go outside that time of year. She enjoys Christmas indoors.

She goes into her house December first, and rarely comes out until Easter.

Because she loves the tulips and the roses, but she despises the cold and ice.

She's in the woods one fall when she meets a wandering Indian. He's wounded and like the caring kid Jack raised her to be, she takes him back to her house and dresses them in yellowing bandages.

She hasn't needed them in such a long, long time. There was once a boy she knew who would get himself into all sorts of trouble, and she'd patch him up the best she could, but one day, she tells the Indian, he got himself into trouble not even she could fix.

She hid the Indian in her home, and using the impending war as a veil, she was successful.

They married in secret several years later and had three kids. Jack, the oldest. Shenaya and Lysrau, the twins.

She named Jack after the eldest of her own family, and he named the twins after his father and mother.

One winter, her children were playing outside in the snow as she watched from the kitchen window.

A snowball came out of nowhere and hit Jack. He naturally blamed Shenaya, and went gunning for her. Lysrau, not wanting to be left out, began attacking Jack with his own frozen ammo.

Years went by and she still wondered who threw the snowball.

Jack, her brother Jack, always threw his with a showy flick of the wrist that caused it to spiral beautifully in the air, it was trick he had spent years perfecting, a trick only he knew. A trick that was used on her children.

She passed away peacefully in her sleep many years later.

Jack cried with tears of joy, and hugged Tooth as if he was afraid she would slip through his arms just like everybody else, which, granted, he was, but this hug, she could actually feels the desperation in his starving limbs. She hugged him back, tears in her own eyes.

"Those were her kids. I remember them, I remember that day." He breathed, voice full of awe.

"My sister…" he sobbed, "…she lived."


End file.
